Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-05-28
BLUE LARKSPUR.


Mrs. Hawley's prettiest boarde
was the bit OF Il blonde girl namet
Florence CaStlcton. 1t was a re
mantle name, and she hal % re
mantle history. Her parents wer,
dead, she was the heiresS of tllei
!. property, and had IL guardian. Ill
Ellnd been in love with her mothcr
and was very jealous Of the daugh,
tiers guardianship, treating llel
with arbitrary power, and teasing
her quite It's much as pleasing hel
Ivy his affection. Yet it was quite
exasperating 10 The young men tc
see her hanging on his arm, and he
a handsome baclclorof hardly forty
He boarded at Il hotel; she had
Mrs. Hawlcy's ,prettieSt set o.
rooms. They were furnished BY
herself, and most charmingly III
rosewood and blue damaSk. She
had canarieS, anl Il paroquet, and
KIM Charles spaniel, and Il maid
under her authority; and it was
but IL short time after her arrival
before every young man IN the
house was markedly subservient to
her.
She was very pretty. Her hair
was of bright gold color, lieI
cheeks rose pink, and her eyes al.
ways made me think of blue lark
spur, they were so deeply and
glowingll blue. l have seen the
sea show such a color, but seldom
anything else; and they did not
change like the sea, from blue to
gray aud black and Tyrean purple;
they were always that deep, steady
unaIlercd blue. have seen her
wear dresses and sacques of the
same shade.
She was living romance he
roine, and | used to observe the
little episodes she occasioned in
the house, with the expectation
that she would finally occasion
some serious rivalry or elopement,
or break somebody's heart, and so
give me the material for a story
But for several months she. pnr--
euod ti,o-cvcT tenor OF her pretty
way and brought no one to grief,
and began to think no one was
going to break his heart for her,
after all, and that the beauty OF
the boarding house would not fur
nish me with II story.
There were four young men in
the house, Charley Childs, Fred
Grove, Leonard Martin and Dick
Manche>ter,-ail bright. agreeable,
marriagcable young men, and all
admirers of Florence Castleton.-
Finally there was another, but he
was ton plain and bashful to be adj
mitted to the elegantranks of Miss
Castletun's galaxy of beaux, and
no one thought OF his being any
ones lover. His name WAS David
Atwood. lie was q book keeper,
was plain i'll dress, and evidently
Strengthened in MEANS. BE had one
of the smallest Of Mrs. HawIey's
side rooms, spent all his days and
most OF his evenings in the office
where he was employed, never
went to theatres or The opera, and
possessed not the slightest style Of
manner.
Yet l noticed him, from the first
as having face Of great sense and
kindness,-a face pleasant 10 see
having so much seriousness and
strength with its youth. Yet il
was very plain, the thin, light lail
falling lanIily about a large pale
forehead, the eyebrows being al
most imperceptible, the eyes of a
light, yellowish gray, the nose and
mouth large, and characteristic
blush rising audpaling continually
Ills smile was sweet and pleasant;
he looked good; and many "A time
| have turned from the shallow
briliancy Of Fred Grove and the
rafting gayety of Dick Manchester
TO observe David Atwood, quietly
reading, with a sensation OF relief,
that there was yet some sense and
real worth left in the world.
The others laughed at him-he
was so shy andawkward and bash
full. And Florence CastletoE often
iolned the laugh, silverlS; Jet no
one offered him any disrespett. In
decd, they all acknowledged him
to De ga good young man, ut SO
homely and .wkwaldn
Florence Castleton HAD a Fetty
voice for singing, and used toplay
upon u guitar, a beautiful ole in
laid with pearl which her guardian
had given her. One evening, alter
David Atwood had been at the
house about SIX weeks, she brouS ht
it'down iuto the parlor, and lat
down to play. The young nen
gathered around to sing with hr.
Young Martin sang very we'll, a4l
Charley Childs sang better. Who
they we're singing David Atwood
came in.
BE slipped into corner and sat
down i'll his shy way, and was ull'
noticed until Dick Manchester, who
was restless for mischief, callet
out:
"Ar. Atwood, WON'T You come
and sing with us?"
81 do not sing" he said qHietly
s:Nor playg' asked Dick.